Vehicular water heaters for field use



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lA/l/EMToR: LUKE URBON PATTOM Dec. 23, 1958 L. u. PATTON VEHICULAR WATER HEATERS FOR FIELD USE Filed April 2, 1956 HTToRA/EKS United Sttes Patent VEHICULAR WATER HEATERS FOR FIELD USE Luke Urbon Patton, OFallon, Mo., assignor of fifty percent to Robert M. Hall, St. Charles, Mo.

Application April 2, 1956, Serial No. 575,676

1 Claim. (Cl. 257-205) This invention relates to vehicular water heaters and in particular. is concerned with a water heater which may be connected into the engine cooling system for heating water in a receptacle and in which the water in the receptacle may be dispensed for use in washing or other purposes.

This invention provides a means for heating water in a water tank through hot water circulated through a vehicle engine.' The tank is constructed with a special coil through which the water from the cooling system of the engine may be circulated by the means of connecting hoses and the like. The tank is adapted to be filled with water through a convenient inlet and simple means are provided for drawing off water for desired usage.

Thus by means of this invention there has been provided a simply constructed and easily used hot water tank in which the heating means can be employed through the vehicle engine itself. The tank finds particular employment for the use of washing hands in the field where hot water is not available or providing hot water for cooking, veterinary or medicinal usages or such other applications as will be desired.

It is a signal feature of this invention that the hot water tank is adapted to be firmly secured to a floor board or fiat base of the vehicle such as in the trunk compartment, or on the floor board of a station wagon, or the like, or on the beds of trucks. A special clamp arrangement has been provided for firmly securing the tank to a flat base of the vehicle to insure against harm when the vehicle travels rough country. In addition the heating coils provided in the tank are firmly secured to a baffie within the tank to prevent excessive splashing of water and to provide for firm securing of the coils within the apparatus and to insure against their dislodgment or harm.

A convenient valve has been provided at the bottom of the tank for the drawing off of water as it is desired to be used. This valve is easily accessible and where de-' sired may be connected to hoses or the like for directing the drawn off water to desired areas of application.

Thus there has been-provided by this invention a simply and easily constructed water heater for use in vehicles. The apparatus is very simply connected into the cooling system of the vehicle and through the employment of the apparatus, hot water is available at all times when the vehicle is operated and as the engine warms up. The apparatus is especially rugged and simple in nature so that it may be operated by persons without any technical training.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a water heater which may be conveniently employed in vehicles by the average vehicle operator.

his a further object of this invention to provide a vehicular water heater which has means for connecting a heating coil within a water heater tank to the cooling lines of the vehicle engine and in which there is means for drawing oft liquid from the hot water tank.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vehicle water heater which has means for connecting a coil within the water heater to the vehicle engine cooling system and in which there are means for firmly securing the hot water tank of the heater to a base within the vehicle.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vehicular hot water heater having a tank with a closed top within which is disposed a hot water heating coil adapted to be connected to the vehicle engine cooling system and in which there are means for firmly securing the heating coil within the tank against damage due to any rough movement of the vehicle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a vehicular hot water heater tank provided with a hot water heating coil and in which there are special bracing rods removably hooked over the hot water heater tank and which are adapted to be firmly secured to a base of the vehicle for secure locking of the hot water tank in place in the vehicle.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vehicular water heater which is simple yet rugged in construction and which is fairly inexpensive in cost and can be very conveniently installed in vehicles for use in heating liquid within the heater as the vehicle is operated and the engine warms up.

Further objects of this invention will appear in the detailed description which follows, and will be further apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of examples there are shown inthe accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of this invention It is to be understood that these drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and that the invention is not limited thereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the hot water heater showing the interior heating coil and supporting bafiie in dotted lines; and t Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the apparatus likewise showing the interior heating coil and the supporting bafiie in dotted lines.

The vehicular water apparatus of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 in Figures 1 and 2. It consists in the major components of a heating coil 11, disposed within a tank 12, a supporting baffle 13, a tank lid 14, and an outlet 15. To provide for circulation of a heating medium through the heating coil, couplings 16 and 17 are provided.

The tank 12 is provided with an open top having an A filler plug 22 provided with an air vent is adapted to be screwed into or out of the that the tank may be filled once the apparatus is locked to a car as will be further describe The coil 11 is adapted to be secured within the interior of the tank by connection to the supporting bafiie 13. This baflie extends across the diameter of the tank obliquely with respect to the outlet 15 and is provided with a bottom flange 24 whereby it may rest firmly upon the bottom of the tank. Oppositely, the extending flanges 25 and 26 are disposed at the sides extend upwardly for the securing of the heating coil to the baffle. Clamps 27 are bolted to the coil on each of these flanges to provide for a secure and firm connection of the coil to the baflie. By this means, the coil is firmly secured within the tank against any damage due to yibration or rough movement of the vehicle within which the tank is supported. Further the bafiie prevents excessive splashing of water since it provides for a semi-partitioning for the tank. It extends across the diameter and is obliquely situated with respect to the drain outlet 15 to provide for sufiicient heating of the contents.

The drain outlet 15 is firmly secured tothe side wall of the tank adjacent to the bottom as shown in Figure 2.

top of the lid in order of the bafiie andv to a hose or other extension device, as will be apparentv to those skilled in the art, for directing the discharged fluid to any desired space.

The heating coil 11 is connected at the top to coupling 16 through an elbow 33. In similar fashion the bottom of the heating coil is connected by an elbow 34 to the coupling 17. Both. couplings 16 and 17 extend through the side Wall of the tank and may be connected by welding or threaded fittings. The exposed ends of the couplings 16 and 17 may be eventually secured to hoses and the like leading to the engine cooling system in order that the coolant of the engine may be circulated through the hoses and the couplings to the heating coil to provide a source of heat to the interior of the tank.

In order to firmly lock and secure the heating apparatus to a base of the vehicle and to insure against movement or damage caused by rough driving conditions a special locking system has been designed. This comprises a lock ring and a gasket which are adapted to seal the lid to the top of the tank. Thus the gasket 36 is positioned between the bead 21 of the tank and the lid 14 while the locking ring 37 overlies the lid. This locking ring is of generally ringlike configuration and does not quite meet at the ends as shown in Figure 1 so that it may be flexed in a readily insertable fashion. Lock rods 38 and 39 are provided on opposite sides of the tank in order to hook over the top rim of the tank and lock the same to a base portion of the vehicle in which the heating apparatus is to be secured.

Both of the lock rods 38 and 39 are identical in structure and have at the top a hooked-over portion so as to fit over the rim with the bottom of the hook pressing downwardly against the locking ring to provide a sealed fit to the top of the tank by pressing the lid against the gasket. Both of the rods are of sutficieut length to extend beneath the bottom of the tank. These rods are threaded at the bottom ends in order that they may extend through a hole in the base of the vehicleto which the heating apparatus is to be secured and be fastened to conventional washers and nuts. These nuts may be used to draw up the tank tightly against the base by tightening of the bottom portions of the lock rod.

Use

The heating apparatus of this invention is very easily employed in usage and vehicles. First of all the tank 12 may be easily secured to any fiat base within the vehicle. Thus for a conventional car it may be the rear trunk area or any other suitable flat portion. After the lid has been placed over the gasket the lock ring is positioned thereover and the locking rods 38 are then put in place. The locking rods may have their bottom ends positioned through a flat base of the vehicle by drilling a hole therethrough, and other means will be readily apparent. The tank is then securely positioned in place by drawing up the bottom nuts at the bottom ends of the lock rods.

With the heating tank in place the couplings 16 and 17 are connected to hoses which are run into the cooling lines of the engine. This may be conventionally done in the same manner as the hot water lines for a hot water car heater are employed as will be obviously to those skilled in the art. With these connections made the But it is to be understood, of

device is ready for use. course, that where desired the tank may be merely implaced upon any flat portion Within the car and need not be locked to a base, although the. locking is preferable for obvious reasons to provide against any damage due to rough movement of the car.

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After the hot water heating device is ready for use the tank is filled with water through the removal of the filler plug 22. After the filling operation has been completed the plug is replaced and the hot water heating apparatus is then completely ready for employment.

The heating of the water within the tank, or any other liquid that is desired to be heated, is effected by the conventional starting of the engine and the heating of the engine coolant. As the vehicle is operated, the heated coolant is circulated through the couplings 16 and 17 to the heating coil 11 and then back to the engine. This circulation causes the heating of the liquid within the tank. As the liquid within the tank is brought up to the desired temperature, the liquid may be discharged through the outlet 15 by the operation of the valve 31.

Thus, there has been provided a very simply employed vehicle water heater that may be employed in any vehicle.

No auxiliary heating devices are required to be employed with the consequent disadvantage of supplying power or' fuel for the heating of hot water. The only operation required for use is the operation of the valve 31 when hot water is desired to be discharged for usage.

Many applications of this invention will be apparent where hot water is desired in the field. The hot water of course, may be used for the washing of hands where Various changes and modifications within the apparatus of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made within the teachings of this inven-' tion. Such changes and modifications are to be included within the apparatus of this invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may be made within the teachings of this invention. Such changes and modifications are to be included within this invention as defined by the scope of the claim appended hereto.

I claim:

A water heater of relatively large capacity adapted for readily removable cooperative installation in a motor vehicle powered by a combustion engine employing a liquid coolant, said heater comprising, in combination, a

fiat-bottomed upright cylindrical tank having greater diameter than height, a heating coil supported within said tank and having end couplings extended through the tank wall for connection into the engine coolant circulation, said heating coil being supported by a vertical diametrical baflie plate terminating in spaced relation to the sides of the tank and extending from the bottom of the tank substantially to the top to minimize surging of water due to motion of the vehicle, a valved outlet in the tank wall for drawing water from the tank, a full-diameter removable top closure for said tank, compressible sealing means between said top closure and the tank for preventing water leakage due to splashing and churning, and means for securing the tank to a supporting platform on the vehicle including means to press the top closure against said sealing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,505 Shepard et al. Oct. 12, 1897 "1,735,615 Merwin Nov. 12, 1929 1,985,950 Resek' et al. Jan. 1, 1935 2,039,066 Weese Apr. 28, 1936 2,343,727 Zenner Mar. 7, 1944 2,608,246 Morey Aug. 26, 1952 2,646,028 Russell et al July 21, 1953 2,661,015 Allred et al. Dec. 1, 1953 2,756,031 Sanstrorn' July 24, 1956 

